Saturday is a good time for Tarleton to unleash that fury

Thursday

I'm sure there are a million old adages that suggest that Tarleton State should put last week's showdown for the ages behind them and take it one game at a time this week against Angelo State.

If only it were that easy.

Games like that don't get forgotten.

No, these Texans are angry. They have to be.

Score 63 points and lose?

Pick off three Billy Malone passes and still allow 10 touchdowns?

Drop yet another homecoming game to rival Abilene Christian?

The only question that remains is how the anger will be unleashed Saturday in San Angelo.

The Angelo State defense may want to buckle its safety belts. This offense, driven by touchdown-tossing, record-tying freshman Scott Grantham is ready to take the Rams for a wild ride.

Go ahead and unleash that fury Mr. Oughta Be Named Freshman of the Year.

Let it all out so you can remember what it felt like those other eight weeks to win and celebrate a performance like that.

And the offensive line that was so great in pass protection all day.

Gotta be in a rage over that final offensive play. The only sack of the day. The worst imaginable moment.

Get mad up front and pass protect like that again and see if your young gun doesn't stand back in the pistol formation and shred the worst defense in the Lone Star Conference to pieces.

And on defense?

Where do we start?

Oh yeah, the run.

Somebody on that unit's going to see the numbers and be pretty upset to see that Tarleton's reputation as one of the best run stopping defenses in both the conference and country has been tarnished.

Better look out Angelo star runner Daniel Thomas.

You're chasing that 1,000-yard mark, but don't forget, that same defense was heralded a week before for holding Eastern New Mexico to barely more than one-third of its nation-leading average at that time of 360 rushing yards per game.

Bernard Scott just made this hard-hitting, fast-to-the-ball group very angry.

And if the Texans' get upset enough to fix their problem tackling in the open field, Thomas could be in for a very long evening.

Sure, you have to stay on an even keel and play your game…but unleashing a little fury Saturday in San Angelo wouldn't be a bad idea.

Just make sure you save a little for next week.

Your annual season-ending thriller with undefeated West Texas A&M is waiting on deck.

Brad Keith is the sports editor at the Empire-Tribune. He can be reached at (254) 965-3124, ext. 241, or by e-mail at brad.keith@empiretribune.com.

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